5 unforgettable Trish Stratus matches you should rewatch
Trish Stratus announced her return to WWE live events on Twitter. She's a legend of Women’s Wrestling and a seven-time women’s champion. Trish began her career in the Attitude Era and continued wrestling until her retirement at Unforgiven in 2006. She made short-term returns in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2018, and 2019, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013.
We will look at five legendary matches she has had with other female superstars that fans need to rewatch with her impending return.
#5. Trish Stratus vs Charlotte Flair at SummerSlam 2019
Trish made a huge return to WWE in 2019 to be challenged by Charlotte Flair. Stratus was the face of the women’s division in early 2000s, and Charlotte Flair was one of the faces of the women’s division in 2019. It was presented as an Icon vs Icon match.
The gutsy battle lasted over 16 minutes, the longest on that Premium Live Event. It was a back-and-forth dream match that saw Trish Stratus use Charlotte’s own figure-eight submission against her. The match showed that Trish Stratus was still as good, if not better, than when she retired.
#4. Stratus vs Mickie James at WrestleMania 22
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In 2005, Mickie James debuted on RAW and became an obsessive fan/stalker of Trish Stratus. There were hints, but it was never outright stated that Mickie James had a romantic interest in Trish, such as a kiss under a mistletoe. Stratus tolerated her and tried to be friends, but the obsessive nature of the character eventually drove Trish and Mickie to become enemies.
They fought at New Year’s Revolution; however the rematch at WrestleMania 22 could be considered the better match. Many fans considered their match at WrestleMania to be the best women’s match in WWE until the Women’s Revolution kicked off in 2015. Mickie James won the title after some unusual tactics and became WWE Women’s Champion for the first time.
#3. Trish Stratus vs Lita - RAW December 6th, 2004
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Until that day, no woman had competed in the main event of WWE RAW. Trish Stratus was in her fifth reign as champion and Lita was the challenger. The lead-up to this match was part of Kane-Lita's wedding storyline. Lita lost her baby due to the actions of Gene Snitsky. Trish was constantly mocking and attacking Lita leading up to this battle. They met a few times earlier that year, but Trish was the victor. But on December 6th, things would be different.
Lita brought her best to the match and fought Trish tooth and nail. The former nearly suffered a major injury from an attempted suicide dive through the ropes. Lita pinned Trish Stratus to become the women’s champion for the first time since 2000. It was an important match because it was the first RAW female main event and paved the way for women’s wrestling.
#2. Trish vs Victoria at Survivor Series 2002
Have you ever seen a hardcore women’s wrestling match? If not, then there is such a match to consider viewing. Victoria came into WWE as an obsessive stalker of Trish. Unlike Mickie James, who tried to be Trish’s friend, Victoria’s stalker gimmick was a violent, angry character who tried to harm Trish at every turn.
They battled at Survivor Series in a hardcore match that saw the usage of weapons including mirrors and broomsticks. There have only ever been a handful of hardcore matches between women in all of WWE history, and this one is one of the most notable. Victoria defeated Trish Stratus to become the women’s champion.
#1. Stratus vs Lita at Unforgiven 2006
After a host of injuries, Trish believed it was time to retire. Her last few matches in WWE in 2006 were all based on her retirement. They included a battle with Mickie James where after Trish won, they hugged it out as friends saying goodbye. Trish’s goal was to end her career as Women’s Champion.
She faced Lita, her long-time foe, going all the way back to the Attitude Era. The last time they met at a pay-per-view, Trish was a heel, and Lita was a face. However, the roles were reversed between them. Lita was determined to make sure that Trish’s career would end in a defeat to pay her back for everything that happened over the course of their careers.
An emotional 11-minute battle followed in perhaps the best match in Trish’s career up to that point. In front of her hometown audience in Toronto, Canada, she was able to make Lita submit to the Sharpshooter, an homage to Bret Hart. She won the title for the seventh and final time, bowed to the audience and said goodbye. She vacated the title and wasn’t seen in WWE for a few years.